Can You Keep a Secret?
by cemeterydreamer
Summary: "Daryl Dixon was many things, but subtle he was not." One-shot; Glenn POV; based on a prompt from GageWhitney: Glenn notices Daryl noticing Andrea, and as we all know, Glenn is terrible at keeping secrets.


**Title:** Can You Keep a Secret?

**Fandom:** The Walking Dead

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to The Walking Dead, but a girl can dream, right?

**Rating:** T for language

**Parings:** Daryl/Andrea

**Genre:** Humor, Romance

**Spoilers:** Starts off post-S2 and involves some very basic spoilers for S3.

**Summary:** One-shot; Glenn POV; based on a prompt from GageWhitney: _Glenn notices Daryl noticing Andrea, and as we all know, Glenn is terrible at keeping secrets._

**Author's note:** This has been sitting on my computer for nearly 2 months and I finally decided to stop teasing poor GW and get it finished. Completely unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine!

* * *

It was easy to see that Daryl had been watching Andrea like a hawk since her return to the group. Glenn himself could claim to be doing the same thing, still not believing that she'd actually been reunited with them in one piece.

So of course Glenn didn't think much when Daryl choose to bunk in a cell in the same section as Andrea; at first he figured maybe Daryl just wanted to keep a close eye on Michonne, also in the same section, because by now they were all a bit weary of strangers despite Andrea's unfailing trust and blooming friendship with the new woman.

But as the days went on, something about Daryl began to change. Glenn was a people watcher by nature - in fact, he'd taken more than one sociology class in college, back before the world went to shit (though he wonders briefly from time to time if any of those skills are really relevant in the middle of an apocalypse).

There was something about the look in Daryl's eyes when he saw Andrea standing up to Rick (the way they widened slightly and took on a glassy appearance that could almost be interpreted as pride), or the way he often tried to hide how the corners of his lips turned up whenever she said something smart and witty, or even simply how he had taken to sitting near her whenever the group ate their meals together.

Daryl Dixon was many things, but subtle he was not.

And there was definitely something in the glare he shot Glenn that morning over breakfast, when Daryl realized Glenn was staring at him, staring at Andrea. Oh yes, there was definitely something brewing under the surface there.

* * *

Maggie is the first one he brings it up to, because hell, he loves the woman and is supposed to share everything with her, right? Plus, he doubts she'll go talking about it with anyone else, seeing as she's new to the "group dynamic" and probably couldn't care less how Daryl feels about other people, herself included.

"I think there's something going on with Daryl."

"What do you mean? Do you think he's sick or something?" she questions with a touch of worry in her voice. As uninterested as she is in Daryl, even she understands the value of the hunter to the survival of the group.

"Well, no… not exactly. I just… I think he might have a crush on Andrea," he reveals, the last part coming out in a single rushed breath.

Maggie gives him a blank stare and blinks a few times, waiting for him to continue with some life-altering statement. When he doesn't, she raises an eyebrow and pinches his arm.

"What's the matter with him liking Andrea?"

"Nothing! Nothing. It's just that… well, you haven't spent as much time with Daryl as I have. He's not what I would call the 'relationship type.'"

She snorts at him. "If I remember correctly, you weren't really the relationship type before the end of the world, either." Glenn feels a blush start to spread across his face, and she leans in and gives him a quick kiss and a teasing grin. "Just don't go getting in the middle of things and causing trouble, ya hear?"

"Yes ma'am," he promises, the tips of his ears still burning red.

* * *

Glenn's promise lasts right through dinner, after which he goes to relieve T-Dog from his watch shift. "Been real quiet," T-Dog says as he gets up from his post and passes Glenn a rifle. "Kinda nice, feeling like we can relax around here a bit."

Glenn nods his agreement, trying to ignore the weight building in his chest from the question that's been pressing on him all day. Before the other man gets very far Glenn knows he can't hold it in anymore and blurts out quickly "Do you think there's something going on with Daryl and Andrea?"

T-Dog stops in his tracks and sort of squints back at Glenn. "What kind of a weird-ass question is that?"

Glenn shrugs, ashamed at his lack of control. "I think he might have a crush on her. I mean, at dinner tonight she ate off his plate and he didn't even get mad. Just seems kind of odd to me."

T-Dog seems to entertain the thought for a moment, then returns the shrug. "Man, all I know is I'm starving. You guys better have left me some food."

Glenn sighs and confirms that Carol saved him a plate, then sits himself down to take over watch. He'd hoped that if anyone understood how weird of a situation this was it'd be T-Dog, seeing as how he'd been with the group for nearly as long as Glenn himself. Maybe Glenn was crazy and there wasn't anything going on between them. Or maybe it really wasn't such a big deal if there was.

He figures if no one else notices or cares, he may as well let it go himself.

* * *

Glenn knows 'strange is the new normal' when there's an apocalypse going on, but today he's really having trouble figuring out Beth's suddenly brooding mood. She'd been stomping around all morning, hovering at the most random of times, and what was with the death glare he just saw her shoot at Andrea? He thought that they were on good terms, close even.

It's not until a while later, when he catches Beth watching Rick, Andrea, and Daryl discussing plans for a scavenging trip that it clicks. He sees the way Beth's staring at Daryl, who in turn is staring at Andrea and seems glued to every word she's contributing. At one point he even bumps her shoulder with his, though Glenn isn't sure if it's intentional or not. Andrea for the most part seems oblivious.

Beth lets out a huff of air, and Glenn feels a little sorry for her. It's got to be hard being 16, losing your first and only boyfriend, and then developing an ill-advised crush on the resident redneck. Who seems to be making it more and more evident that he has a crush on the resident sharpshooter, despite Glenn's determination to ignore whatever is or isn't going on there.

He scoots down the lunch table bench until he's sitting directly across from Beth. "So you noticed it too, huh?"

Beth shakes her head in embarrassment. "I'm just being stupid. He's too old for me anyway, I know that. It's just… I needed a distraction. But then Maggie told me he likes Andrea -"

"Wait, Maggie told you that?" Glenn cuts her off.

Beth nods as Glenn mumbles under his breath. So much for Maggie not caring about the group gossip.

Still, Glenn does his best to reassure her. "Don't worry, Beth. We won't be here forever, and there are more survivors out there. You'll meet someone who's right for you someday."

She gives him a smile like she doesn't believe him, but she does stop glaring at Andrea for the rest of the day.

* * *

It's only two days later that Glenn overhears the idle chatter between Lori and Carol. He's in the wash room, gathering his and Maggie's laundry while she's on watch, and the next thing you know Lori's saying something about how maybe Daryl's met his match.

They may not be the best of friends, and they certainly have different views on their survival tactics, but there's a new kind of respect in Lori's voice whenever she talks about Andrea now. After all, the woman did manage to survive on her own in a situation that would have resulted in certain death had it been any other person in camp - besides maybe Daryl, so it makes all the more sense the way Lori is pitching the idea to Carol.

"I mean, I never really noticed until T-Dog pointed it out, but Daryl does seem to be taking an interest to her." He hears Carol murmur her agreement and mention something about the pair walking to their cells together the night before.

'Fucking T-Dog,' Glenn thinks as he folds a shirt and pretends not to be listening in. He's starting to regret ever opening his mouth to begin with.

* * *

When they venture out on their scavenging mission, he's not really surprised when Rick sends Daryl and Andrea off together to raid a nearby minimart. He's thrown for a loop, though, when Rick decides to make a comment after the pair is out of sight.

"They really are a good team," Rick tells him all casual-like, with the hint of a smirk. "They complement each other nicely, if only they'd both quit ignoring it. Don't you think?"

"I um… they… well, yeah…" Rick gives him a knowing look when the younger man begins to stutter over his words. Glenn suddenly feels a bit guilty, though he's not completely sure why. He just has a feeling the sheriff inherently knows where all this talk started. "Did Lori bring it up to you?"

Rick shrugs and claps him on the back. "Would've figured it out for myself, eventually."

* * *

They return from their mission earlier than expected, everyone safe and sound and unbitten. It's just getting dark out when Glenn finds Carl sitting alone in the rec room, shuffling a deck of cards with a frown on his face. As soon as Carl spots him, he brightens considerably.

"Hey Glenn! Will you play cards with me?" Carl's tone is hopeful, his eyes wide and eager for entertainment.

Glenn's exhausted and ready to get back to his and Maggie's cell, but he can't help but take pity on the poor kid; a prison isn't exactly a fun place to live, and it wasn't like Carl really had anyone to play with anymore.

"Sure, Carl. I have time for a quick game."

It's not long after the cards have been dealt that Andrea and Michonne walk by, laughing loudly about something that Glenn fails to catch.

"Andrea looks happy," Carl mentions as soon as the two women are out of earshot.

He considers this for a moment, then nods his agreement. "Yeah, she does."

"Beth says Daryl's in love with Andrea. Does that mean she loves him back?"

Glenn abruptly inhales and begins to choke on his own spit, the sound of his coughing and sputtering filling the air; that was not a statement he had been expecting from the young boy.

The kid was definitely a Grimes.

Carl stares at him expectantly while Glenn tries to regain his composure – or at least enough to give an appropriate answer as Carl was obviously not going to let this one drop.

"I don't know if they love each other in that way, Carl," Glenn finally manages to squeak out. "But they're good friends, at least."

"If you say so." Carl gives him a shrug like he knows better than Glenn, and truth be told he probably does.

"You got any 8's?" Glenn asks, trying desperately now to change the subject.

"Go fish."

* * *

When Hershel leans close to him the next day and whispers in a conspiratorial tone "They're cute together, aren't they?" while nodding at the two in question as they banter about the best way to kill a walker, Glenn knows the whole thing has snowballed out of control.

It doesn't escape anyone in the group that Daryl joins Andrea for her watch shift that afternoon.

* * *

Glenn doesn't know Michonne very well, but he's sure that if anyone is privy to the goings on between Daryl and Andrea it would be her; not only is she the nearest neighbor to the two, but she had quickly become Andrea's best friend and close confidant.

So when Glenn finds himself on kitchen-cleanup duty and Michonne happens to stop by to grab a bottle of water, he decides to take his opportunity.

Hell, it's not like anyone in this place could keep a secret much better than himself anyway.

"So… Daryl and Andrea…" Glenn begins nonchalantly, glancing at her as he wipes down a counter.

Michonne gives him a blank look that makes him feel oddly uncomfortable, but he pushes on.

"Have you heard anything? About them… you know. Being interested in each other?"

There's more stony silence from her, and for a strange minute Glenn thinks maybe she didn't even hear him.

"Andrea's personal life is none of my business," she finally tells him calmly. "Nor is it any of yours."

Glenn's head dips a bit in shame, knowing she's right. This is exactly why Maggie told him not to go medaling in the first place.

"Can't say I disagree with the idea though," Michonne continues after a moment, and to his surprise she offers him a smile before she exits the room.

* * *

Glenn's on his way to the rec room for a rematch game with Carl when he hears an unexpected giggle coming from the direction of the prison gym. He comes to a full stop, straining to hear anymore unexplained noises but is met with a long stretch of silence. It only takes a moment of hesitation before his curiosity gets the better of him, and Glenn finds himself slowly peeking his head around the frame of the gym entrance.

His eyes nearly pop out of his head at the sight that greets him.

Daryl's got Andrea pinned up against the wall, hands and mouth roaming as she lets out a low moan.

"I can't believe it's taken them this long to figure it out," she tells him, another giggle escaping her.

"Told ya it would," he murmurs into her neck and gives her collarbone a quick nip. "Most of 'em are slow as shit."

Glenn quickly begins to feel like some sort of voyeuristic pervert, and very quietly extricates himself from view right as the two meet in a passionate lip-lock.

He hurries away from the gym, letting this new information process and sink in. So Daryl and Andrea really _are_ a thing.

Glenn suddenly feels triumphant at the fact that he was right, that he could tell from the very beginning. He does not fall under Daryl Dixon's category of "slow as shit," and a sense of satisfaction begins to settle in his stomach as a grin stretches across his face.

Just wait until he tells Maggie about this.


End file.
